21/03/11…..Shop vacancy boost for Thame

THAME is bucking the trend when it comes to the number of empty shops in the town, a new survey has revealed, the number remaining vacant being well below the national average.

The survey, carried out in February by the Market Town Co-ordinator for Thame Alison Isherwood, revealed that just three per cent of shops (or five units) in the town centre are currently empty. This compares to an average of 14.5 per cent for towns throughout the country, and with 98.6 per cent of the total available retail floor space (including vacant premises) in use the current situation is even more impressive.

Despite the tough economic situation the number of empty units has continued to remain low and Thame has been buoyed over the last twelve months after a number of new businesses started trading in the town centre, including a new Sainburys store (in the premises formerly occupied by Woolworths), a Costa Coffee (on the High Street), Powder, Wallace Homes Boutique and White Lion Antiques.

There has been even more good news for the town with hairdressers Eclipse moving to a larger unit on North Street and the vacant shop in the Shambles that they left behind taken up by a guitar specialist. On 17 March the town received a further boost after M&S Simply Food opened its new store adjoining the BP garage on the eastern edge of the town.

According to research carried out by the Local Data Company one shop in every seven in Britain?s high streets is currently empty, however at a time when many towns are struggling Thame, with its distinctive independent retail offering, continues to buck the trend and attract new businesses and, similar to the other market towns in South Oxfordshire, maintains an impressively high number of occupied shop units.

Cllr Rodney Mann, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: ?During these tough economic times it is a real boost for the people and businesses of Thame that the vast majority of shops in the town are occupied. High streets that show they are doing well are much more attractive to shoppers and potential investors than those with lots of empty units.?

SOURCE: Press release